subroutine - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

sub·rou·tine

Audio Help [suhb-roo-teen] Pronunciation Key

–noun Computers.

an instruction sequence in a machine or assembly language program that can be prewritten and referred to as often as needed. Compare procedure (def. 4a).

[Origin: 1945–50; sub- + routine

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
subroutine

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

sub·rou·tine Audio Help (sŭb'rōō-tēn') Pronunciation Key
n. Computer Science
A set of instructions that performs a specific task for a main routine, requiring direction back to the proper place in the main routine on completion of the task.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

subroutine
noun
a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program [syn: routine]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

subroutine programming
(Or "procedure") A sequence of instructions for performing a particular task. Most programming languages, including most machine languages, allow the programmer to define subroutines. This allows the subroutine code to be called from multiple places, even from within itself (in which case it is called recursive). The programming language implementation takes care of returning control to (just after) the calling location, usually with the support of call and return instructions at machine language level.
Most languages also allow arguments to be passed to the subroutine, and one, or occasionally more, return values to be passed back.
A function is often very similar to a subroutine, the main difference being that it is called chiefly for its return value, rather than for any side effects.
(1996-10-01)